Apparatus and method for diverting material from conveyors and the like



R. F. OURY 3,523,506 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIVERTING MATERIAL I Aug.11, 1970 FROM GONVEYORS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28,1967 0 O O O O O O O /O O Q mm kn Imam vi mvw MS mac w \9 m Aug. 11,1970 R. F. OURY 3,523,606 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIVERTING MATERIALFROM CONVEYORS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 28, 1967 3 SheetsSheet 2 58 M/lEA/TOR.

905mm oum Aug. 11, 1979 R. F. OURY 3,523,606

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIVERTING MATERIAL FROM CONVEYORS AND THE LIKEFiled Dec. 28, 1967 Y 3 Sheets-$heet 3 Z 238 239 llVVENTOR.

ROBE/PT F OUR) United States Patent 3,523,606 APPARATUS AND METHOD FORDIVERTING MATERIAL FROM CONVEYORS AND THE LIKE Robert F. Oury, Wayne,11]., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Harsco Corporation,Wormleysburg, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 28, 1967, Ser.No. 699,007 Int. Cl. B65g 39/07], 41/00, 47/76 U.S. Cl. 198-488 18Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Concrete mix can be effectivelydiverted from a conveyor belt without leaving residue or concrete mix onthe surface of the belt by employing a series of staggered rollersadjacent and parallel to a diverting blade. The rollers are positionedso that a moving conveyor belt is urged into a configurationcorresponding to the shape of the lower edge of the blade, whereby allpoints of contact between the belt and blade are maintained at equalpressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally toconveyors and more particularly to a device for diverting concrete mixfrom a moving conveyor belt at various positions along the surface ofthe belt.

Apparatus of the same general class as the present invention (i.e.,designed to divert concrete mix from a conveyor belt to a predeterminedlocation) is commonly used to pour long strips of concrete such as lanesof a motor vehicle expressway. In most commercial apparatus of thistype, a conveyor is used which employs a belt placed between two pulleysto form a closed loop long enough to straddle a lane of highway underconstruction. One of the pulleys (hereinafter called a receiving pulley)is placed at the end of the conveyor which receives materials to betransported (e.g., concrete mix), and the other pulley (hereinaftercalled a return pulley) is placed at the opposite end of the conveyor.In order to conveniently divert cement to a desired location, a carriageis mounted on the conveyor to enable movement thereof alongsubstantially the entire length of the belt. A diverting blade isgenerally mounted within the carriage and disposed at an obtuse angle inrelation to the direction of travel of the belt, whereby concrete mixcarried on the moving belt will strike the blade and be divertedtherefrom.

In order to ensure uniform distribution of concrete mix as the divertingblade progresses along the length of the conveyor belt, the belt speedshould remain relatively constant. For example, when the conveyor isused in transporting and pouring wet concrete mix, if the speed is toohigh, the concrete mix has a tendency to splash and to be uncontrollablewhen discharged and diverted. In contrast, if the belt speed is too low,the pouring and diverting operation requires more time than is actuallynecessary and the concrete mix tends to separate into its componentparts.

In order to keep the belt speed constant, the total load on the drivemotor must remain constant. Of course, if an increased volume ofmaterial or a denser material is carried by the conveyor, the load onthe motor will increase, and the belt speed will decrease. However, evenif the material is held to a constant volume and density, progressivelayers'of partially hardened concrete, which tend to accumulate on thebelt due to inefficient scraping action between the diverting blade andbelt surface, place an increasing strain on the motor, thereby reducingthe speed of the belt and the carrying capacity of the conveyor.

From the above discussion, it should appear that a build up of foreignresidue on the outside of the conveyor belt must be prevented. However,it is equally important to prevent foreign material from collecting onthe inside of the belt (as may occur because of splashing, strayparticle overflow, etc.). When a residue of material remains on the beltafter passing beneath the diverting blade, the material is partiallyloosened and has a tendency to vibrate off the side of the belt. Ifforeign matter such as a rock or pieces of concrete mix fall from thetop of the belt loop to the inside surface of the bottom portion of theloop, the material may become wedged between the belt and one of thepulleys, and may cause damage or rough operation. Thus, in addition tothe considerations outlined above, proper scraping of the exterior ofthe belt during diversion of concrete mix is important in order tominimize the possibility of foreign materials becoming inadvertentlylocated on the interior portion of the belt.

Thus, it can be seen that even a slight deposit of foreign material onthe belt surface may have a cumulative effect which prevents removal anddiversion of concrete mix during successive cycles of operation andeventually results in substantial deposits of concrete mix on theconveyor belt which prevent effective operation of the apparatus.

A build-up of foreign residue can be prevented to some extent byproviding auxiliary scraping devices at various positions along the beltloop. However, commercially available scraping apparatus has not beenentirely success ful in preventing residue and generally requiresfrequent adjustment in order to ensure effective operation. Moreover,auxiliary scrapers increase the initial cost of the conveyor and requireperiodic maintenance which invariably increases the over-all operatingexpense of a conveyor.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide adiverting arrangement which leaves no trace of foreign residue on a beltsurface after the belt has come in contact with a diverting blade.

Another prior art method of reducing residue resulting from thediverting operation is to increase the pressure between the belt surfaceand diverting blade. While this method is at first effective to removeconcrete residue from the belt surface, it results in rapid destructionof the diverting blade and increases the horsepower requirements of themotor used to move the belt. Continued operation of the divertingapparatus with a worn or grooved blade causes rapid deterioration of thebelt surface and drastically reduces the life of the belt.

Accordingly, a related object of the present invention is to provide aneffective diverting device which results in a minimum of pressurebetween a diverting blade and a belt surface.

In order to provide effective cleaning of the belt surface and at thesame time reduce friction to a minimum, equal pressure must be providedat all points of contact between the belt surface and diverting blade.Unfortunately, the type of blade which has proven most effective forcleaning has not been readily adaptable to the equal application ofpressure between the belt and blade. Effective diverting action isnormally best achieved by using a thin, hard blade made from hardenedsteel or an equivalent material. Blades made from softer materialsinvariably leave a small residue on the surface of the belt, which, overa period of time, can accumulate and create deposits of concrete mixwhich hinder optimum performance. Moreover from considerations of costand ease of manufacture and replacement, a straight steel blade isgenerally preferred over blades with curved surfaces. In spite of theforegoing advantages, if a straight blade is used in an ordinaryconveyor, it is impossible to maintain equal pressure across the entirewidth of the conveyor belt since a loaded belt has a generally paraboliccross-sectional configuration due to the weight of the mixture beingtransported.

Moreover, even if a parabolic scraper blade which conforms to the shapeof a loaded belt is provided, equal pressure cannot ordinarily bemaintained across the entire width of the belt since the shape of thebelt varies with the amount and texture of the concrete beingtransported, speed of operation, and the age of the belt.

Accordingly, another important object of the present invention is toprovide improved conveyor diverting techniques which result in equalpressure at all points of contact between a diverting blade and conveyorbelt, independent of load conditions and tension on the belt.

It is yet another object of the present invenion to provide an effectiveconveyor diverting device which can be used with a straight blade.

Yet another general object of the invention is to provide techniqueswhich can be used to divert materials to either side of a conveyor belt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the foregoing as well asother objects and advantages in accordance with the present in vention,a conveyor belt is urged into a configuration which conforms to theshape of a diverting blade surface and thus creates equal pressure atall points of contact as the belt passes beneath the blade. In order tourge the conveyor belt into the proper configuration, a serie ofstaggered rollers which are adjacent and parallel to a diverting bladeare employed. The staggered rollers lift the belt into a configurationwhich conforms to the shape of the lower edge of the blade. When astraight blade is used, the rollers urge the belt into a fiatconfiguration just before it passes beneath the blade. As a result, theblade skims smoothly over the belt and removes residue to an extentunattained by prior art techniques. After the belt has passed beneaththe blade, the surface returns to its normal parabolic configuration andpasses around a return pulley in preparation for another operatingcycle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-mentioned objects, advantages, andfeatures of the present invention will hereinafter appear, and, forpurposes of illustration but not of limitation, an exemplary embodimentis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, top plan view of a preferred form of a conveyordiverting apparatus designed in accordance with the requirements of thepresent invention and shown in association with a belt and conveyorunit;

FIG. 2 is a fragmetary front plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, right side plan view of the scraper assemblyshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the roller assembly anddiverting assembly made in accordance with the preferred embodiment ofthe invention and shown schematically in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the preferred form of theinvention shown schematically in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, partially sectioned top plan view ofthe invention shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, partially sectioned left side planview of a portion of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, apreferred embodiment of the invention would be used with a conveyorassembly 7, a support assembly 32, a plurality of wheel assemblies 56-58and 59 (not shown), and a pulley drive system 80, and comprises: atraveling carriage 92; a diverting as- 4 sembly 136; an adjustingassembly 141; and a roller assembly 209.

As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, conveyor assembly 7 comprises a frontmember 11, a rear member 13, and a cross member 15. Member 11 includesrail section 12, 12, and member 13 includes rail sections 14, 14, all ofsaid rail sections extending lengthwise along the conveyor. At one endof the conveyor a drive pulley 17 is mounted on a shaft 21, and at theopposite end, a return pulley 19 is mounted on a shaft 23. Shaft 21 ismounted between member 11 and member 13 on bearings and 27 and, in asimilar manner, shaft 23 is mounted between member 11 and member 13 onbearings 29 and 31.

A conveyor belt 20 is fitted around pulleys 17 and 19 to form a closedloop having a top portion T, a bottom portion B, a forward edge adjacentmember 11, a rearward edge adjacent member 13, an outer surface 0, andan inner surface I.

A conventional V-roller assembly 24 is mounted near pulley 17 andcomprises rollers 28 and 30, which are arranged in a V-shapedconfiguration. A center rod 27' is extended through the centers ofrollers 28, and is attached to members 11 and 13 by brackets 28' and30', respectively. Another V-roller assembly 26 is mounted betweenpulley 19 and carriage 92, and is constructed in the same manner asV-roller assembly 24. The V-shaped roller assemblies tend to urge thetop loop of the conveyor belt into a generally parabolic trough-likeconfiguration when the belt is loaded with material. The assembliesshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, of course, are not operative since the belt isdisplaced by the carriage. However, as the carriage is moved away fromthe location illustrated, the belt comes in contact with the assembliesand is urged into the described configuration. Those skilled in the artwill recognize that other roller assemblies similar to assemblies 24 and26 may be placed along the length of the conveyor at convenientintervals.

Support assembly 32 comprises support members 33, 35 which are slidablymounted inside cross members 34, 36 and are arranged perpendicular tomembers 11 and 13 in conveyor assembly 7. In order to brace members 11and 13 at the end portion thereof, reinforcement members 37 and 41 areattached parallel to and beneath front member 11. In a similar manner,reinforcement members 39 and 43 are attached parallel to and beneathrear member 13. Members 37 and 39 are joined at opposite ends by a plate38 and a bracket 44, respectively, and members 41, 43 are joined atopposite ends by a plate and a bracket 45, respectively.

The angular disposition of the wheel assemblies with respect to theconveyor is regulated by adjustable brackets 47, 48 which have a seriesof holes corresponding in size to holes in panels 50, 51. Brackets 47,48 are rigidly attached to support members 33, 35, respectively, and areheld in place by pins 53, 54, respectively, which pass through holes inboth the brackets and panels. By revolving the support members todesired positions within their associated cross members and pinning theattached adjustable brackets in the appropriate holes, the wheelassemblies may be inclined at a variety of angles with respect to theconveyor assembly. When one end of the conveyor is at an elevationdifferent from the opposite end, the angle of the wheel assemblies areideally adjusted so that only vertical loads are applied to the wheelsand the surface on which they are riding.

Wheel assemblies 57 and 58 are attached to adjustable arms and 61,respectively (FIG. 3), and wheel assemblies 56 and 59 are attached toadjustable arms 62 and 62'. (Arm 62, not shown in the drawings, islocated opposite arm 62 in a position corresponding to the placement ofarm 61.) Arms 60 and 61 are in turn attached at either end of astructural member 64 (FIG. 3). In a like manner, adjustable arms 62 (notshown) and 62 are attached at either end of a corresponding structuralmember 63 (not shown) and can be understood from the disclosure in FIG.3. Structural members 63 and 64 are connected to support members 33 and35 by pins 33a, 33b, and 35a, 35b, respectively (FIGS. 1 and 3). Thepins may be removed to allow the wheel and support assemblies to rotateabout the center pins 34' and 36 of cross members 34 and 36,respectively. Such a procedure allows the conveyor to be positioned at askewed angle with respect to the center line of the work area by movingthe wheel assemblies on opposite ends of the conveyor to opposite sidesof the center line.

As best seen in the right hand portion of FIG. 3, arm 61 may be adjustedto the position shown in broken lines in order to lower the height ofthe conveyor in relation to the work area. The remaining adjustable arms60, 62, and 62 may be adjusted in a similar manner which can beunderstood with reference to FIG. 3. The height of the conveyor may alsobe adjusted -by positioning the wheel assemblies on various pivot postssuch as 70, 70, and 71, 71' which are positioned on adjustable arms 60and 61, respectively (FIG. 3). In order to lower the height of theconveyor, wheel assembly 57 would be positioned on pivot post 70 asillustrated by the broken line representation in FIG. 3. Of course, inorder to retain the conveyor in a horizontal plane, wheel assembly 58would be reconnected to pivot post 71 and wheel assemblies 56 and 59would be repositioned on corresponding pivot posts located on adjustablearms 62 and 62'. The proper positioning of wheel assemblies 56, 58 and59 will be obvious to those skilled in conveyor arts from the disclosureshown in FIG. 3 regarding Wheel assembly 57.

Each of the wheel assemblies is constructed in a similar manner and,accordingly, a detailed description of assembly 56 will be sufficientfor a understanding of the other assemblies. (Assembly 59, locatedopposite assembly 56, is not shown in the drawings.)

As best seen in FIG. 2, wheel assembly 56 comprises a bracket 65 whichis connected to arm 62 by a flange 67 and a pivot post 68, and isfurther connected to a shaft 72 of a wheel 73. A motor 74 is securelymounted to bracket 65 and is connected to wheel 73 through a gear box75, a motor pulley 76, a belt 77, and a wheel pulley 78.

Wheel assemblies 57 and 59 are constructed in the same manner as wheelassembly 56, except that motors and associated pulleys and belts are notsupplied therewith. Wheel assembly 58 (FIG. 3) includes elementsidentical to those described in connection with wheel assembly 56 andcan be understood from the description thereof.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, pulley drive system 80 comprises a pulleymotor 81, a gear box 83, a pulley 84, and a chain 85 which passes alongthe inside of member 11. The chain is connected between pulley 84 and apulley 86 which is mounted on a shaft 87. Chain 85 passes over sprockets(not shown) connected with the drive and return pulleys 17, 19. Whenmotor 81 is in operation, it drives chain 85 and hence drive pulley 17and return pulley 19, as well as belt 20, at a predetermined speed.

As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 6, traveling carriage 92 comprises aframe 93 including top members 94-97; front side members 99 101, 103,and 104; rear side members 105, 107, 108, and 109; and bottom members111 and '113 connected between wheels 115, 119, and 117, 121,respectively. (Wheel 117, connected opposite wheel 115, is not shown inthe drawings.) As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, wheels 115, 117, 119, and121 are mounted on the rails extending from the top and bottom edges ofmembers 11 and 13. Also attached to traveling carriage 92 is shroud 122which controls the discharge of material from the conveyor.

A guide panel 132 (FIG. 6) is attached to frame member 101 and is usedto help direct materials into shroud 122. A similar guide panel 134 isconnected to frame member 107, and is used to direct materials to therear 6 side of the belt loop when shroud 122 is attached to framemembers 107 and 108.

It should be noted that conveyor assembly 7, support assembly 32, andpulley drive system as well as the foregoing elements of travelingcarriage 92 are made from well known components. Accordingly, otherparts and combinations of parts known to those skilled in the conveyorarts may be substituted without detracting from the features of thepresent invention.

Traveling carriage 92 also includes an idler 125 connected to frame 93by brackets 127 and 129, and an idler 131 connected to frame 93 bybrackets 133 and 135 for purposes that will hereinafter appear. A pairof forward vertical guide rollers 123 and 123' are connected to brackets127, 129, respectively, and a corresponding pair of rear vertical guiderollers 124, 124' are connected to side members 109, 103, respectively.The guide rollers are used to center belt 20 as it passes throughcarriage 92.

The diverting assembly 136 is located within carriage frame 93 and, asbest seen in FIG. 5, comprises a blade 137 rigidly attached to a bar138. The blade is preferably made from a hardened steel, or theequivalent, and has a straight, smooth lower edge 137 which mates withthe outer surface 0 of the conveyor belt on the top side T of the beltloop. Bar 138 is welded to the lower edge of a rolled, curved plow 140which diverts material into shroud 122 when the conveyor is inoperation.

Adjusting assembly 141 has elements attached to the traveling carriageframe and the diverting assembly and is used to adjust the divertingassembly in various comating positions with belt 20. The elementsattached to the carriage frame include forward anchoring assemblies 142,144 and rear anchoring assemblies 143, 145.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, anchoring assembly 144 comprises ahorizontal rod 149 which is welded at one end to a panel 153 which is inturn securely anchored to carriage frame member 105. Forward anchoringassembly 142 is the mirror image of assembly 144, and the constructiondetails thereof may be easily understood by reference to the foregoingdescription of assembly 144.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, anchoring assembly comprises panels 155,156 which are joined in juxtaposition and rigidly attached to framemember 104. Assembly 145 also includes a horizontal rod 159 which iswelded at one end to panel 156. Rear anchoring assembly 143 is themirror image of assembly 145, and may be understood with reference tothe foregoing description thereof.

As best seen in FIG. 6, diverting assembly 136 is attached to anchoringassemblies 144 and 145. When anchored in the position shown, thediverting assembly moves materials toward the front side of the beltloop (i.e., toward shroud 122). As will be described in more detaillater herein, diverting assembly 136 may also be connected to anchoringassemblies 142, 143 in order to move materials toward the rear side ofthe belt loop (i.e., toward frame member 108).

The adjusting assembly also comprises positioning assembly whichincludes a support 177 comprising a horizontal panel 178 and a verticalpanel 179, both welded adjacent the top portion of plow 140 andextending across the entire width thereof. Handles 176, 176' areconnected to panel 178 and provide a means for manually controlling thepositioning assembly during the adjustment process. Connected to panel179 adjacent the forward edge of the diverting assembly (i.e., the edgeof the assembly adjacent idler 125) is an angle bracket 180. As bestseen in FIGS. 5 and 6, angle bracket 180 comprises a vertical member 181rigidly attached to panel 179, and a horizontal member 182. A U-shapedorifice is cut from horizontal member 182 in order to accommodate aportion of a turnbuckle '191. U-shaped bracket 183 comprises a member187 (FIG. 6) which is rigidly attached to panel 179 and a similar member7 185 which is connected to member 187 at one end thereof. As best seenin FIG. 5, turnbuckle 191 comprises an eyelet 193 which is attached tothe lower end of a threaded bolt 195. The threaded bolt is received by acollar 197 which is attached to angle bracket 180 by a head member 199.

The elements of the positioning assembly connected to the divertingassembly at the rear edge thereof (i.e., the edge adjacent idler 131),include angle bracket 201, U- shaped bracket 203, and turnbuckle 205which are identical to brackets 180, 183 and previously describedturnbuckle 191.

As best seen in FIGS. and 6, panels 153 and 156 are received by U-shapedbrackets 183 and 203, respectively. Moreover, rods 149 and 159 are heldin position by turnbuckles 191, 205 and pins 206, 207, which prevent theturnbuckles from sliding off their respective rods. As will be describedin more detail later, the elements of the adjusting assembly are used toadjust the pressure between the diverting blade and conveyor belt and tolocate the diverting assembly in either of two alternative operatingpositions.

As best seen in FIGS. 4-7, roller assembly 209 comprises a support bar211 which has a forward end adjacent idler 125 and a rear end adjacentidler 131. The forward end of bar 211 terminates in a cylindrical collar213 which is preferably welded to the bar. The collar is positionedaround a vertical pivot post 215 (FIGS. 5 and 6) which is rigidlyattached to member 105 of the carriage frame. A corresponding pivot post217 is connected to frame member 99 and is used for positioning collar213 when the diverting and roller assemblies are placed in theiralternate operating position.

The rear end of bar 211 terminates in a rod 219 which is concentric withthe center line of the bar. The free end of rod 219 is received by acorresponding hole in positioning member 221 which is rigidly attachedto the carriage frame. A corresponding positioning member 222 is locatedopposite member 221 and is used to secure rod 219 when the rollerassembly is used in its alternate operating position.

Roller assembly 209 also comprises rollers 223-230 which are connectedto support bar 211 by arms 232-239, respectively. Although eight rollersare illustrated in the preferred embodiment herein, it should beunderstood that the optimum number of rollers may vary depending on thewidth of the conveyor belt and the nature of load to be transported. Inthe described embodiment, the

staggered rollers are placed approximately three inches r in front ofthe diverting blade 137. That is, the rollers are placed approximatelythree inches from blade 137 in a direction extending toward the drivepulley 17. However, the precise placement of the rollers may varyslightly depending on the size of the rollers utilized and thedimensions of the conveyor belt. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, therollers ride on the inside surface I of belt 20 and urge the belt into aconfiguration which conforms to the shape of the lower edge 137 of blade137.

In the preferred embodiment, the center line of each of the arms makesan angle of about 55 with the center line of bar 211. However, thoseskilled in the art will recognize that a variety of other angles can beused to equal advantage depending on the angle at which the divertingassembly crosses the conveyor belt. Of course, the angle between eacharm and the support bar should be such that the axis of each of therollers is perpen dicular to the direction of travel of the conveyorbelt.

As best seen by the cross-sectional views of the rollers shown in FIGS.6 and 7, the rollers preferably comprise ball bearing units mounted ontheir respective arms. For example, in one embodiment, a series 63-2RSbearing manufactured by the S. K. F. Corporation was successfully used.However, those skilled in the art will realize that a variety of otherrollers and bearings may be used to equal advantage.

As best seen in FIG. 6, material may be diverted toward the rear side ofthe conveyor (i.e., toward frame member 108) by connecting the divertingassembly between anchoring assemblies 142, 143, and by anchoring theroller assembly between pivot post 217 and positioning member 222. Inorder to disconnect the roller assembly from the position shown in FIG.6, the rear edge of the conveyor belt is lifted and collar 213 isremoved from pivot post 215 by grasping handles 176, 176. Then theentire roller assembly is disengaged from positioning member 221 andrevolved in a counterclockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 6) untilcollar 219 is received within a hole in positioning member 222. Then theentire roller assembly is revolved around the longitudinal axis ofsupport bar 211 through 180 of arc and collar 213 is lowered over pivotpost 217.

Diverting assembly 136 is removed from the position shown in FIG. 6 bydisconnecting turnbuckles 191, 205 and raising the assembly untilbrackets v183 and 203 (connected to the assembly) are raised abovepanels 153 and 156, respectively. Then the diverting assembly isrevolved in a clockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 6) and the brackets183, 203 are lowered over the panels in assemblies 142, 143(corresponding to panels 153, 156). Turnbuckles 191 and 205 are thenreplaced on brackets 180, 201 and are placed around the rods located inassemblies 142, 143. Shroud 122 should, of course, be moved to the rearside of the belt loop and attached to frame members 107 and 108. Whentheforegoing procedures have been completed, and the diverting assembly hasbeen adjusted, material may be diverted toward the rear side of theconveyor belt.

The pressure adjustment of the diverting assembly will be described withreference to FIG. 5. In order to lower the forward portion of the blade(i.e., the portion adjacent idler and increase the pressure between theblade and the belt, head member v199 of turnbuckle 191 is turned in aclockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 6-). As collar 197 is turned, bolt195 is drawn into the collar, and horizontal member 182 of angle bracketis drawn closer to rod 149. Since the angle bracket is rigidly attachedto the diverting assembly and the rod is rigidly attached to thecarriage frame, turning the head member in a clockwise direction willlower the diverting assembly and increase the pressure between the bladeand the conveyor belt. In order to raise the diverting assembly, thehead member is turned in a counterclockwise direction and bolt isgradually withdrawn from collar 197. This procedure raises the divertingassembly in relationship to rod 149 and dc creases the pressure betweenthe blade and the conveyor belt.

In order to lower the rear portion of the diverting assembly (i.e., theportion adjacent idler 131), the head member of turnbuckle 205 is turnedin a clockwise direction in order to draw the bolt into the collarthereof. In order to raise the rear edge of the diverting assembly, theconverse procedure is carried out (i.e., the head member of turnbuckle205 is turned in a counterclockwise direction).

In summary, the pressure between the blade and the conveyor belt may beincreased by turning the head assemblies of the turnbuckles in aclockwise direction, and the pressure may be decreased by turning thehead members in a counterclockwise direction (assuming the bolts haveright-hand threads). The same procedure may be followed whether thediverting assembly is positioned as shown in FIG. 6, or in the alternateposition described previously.

The invention is operated by placing the conveyor assembly over a workarea by controlling the motors attached to wheel assemblies 5659. Afterthe conveyor is in position, motor 81 is energized in order to drivepulleys 17 and 19 at a predetermined speed controlled by the operator.When pulleys 17 and 19 are revolved, a point on the top portion of thebelt loop moves in a direction away from pulley 17, and materialdeposited adjacent pulley 17 is carried on the top portion of the belttoward carriage 92. As material is deposited on the belt, the weight ofthe mixtures creates a depression at the midline of the belt and resultsin a concave crosssectional configuration. The material loaded on thebelt eventually passes over idler 1125 which raises the belt surfacesubstantially to the level of blade 137 and urges the belt into a morenearly fiat configuration. After the material passes over idler 125, thebelt again resumes a somewhat concave cross-sectional configuration dueto the weight of material in the center portion thereof.

As the material in the belt passes over roller assembly 209, however,the staggered rollers 223-230, which are arranged'parallel to the blade,successively remove the concave depression at the center of the belt andurge the belt into a completely flat configuration as it sweeps beneathblade 137. As a result, the belt momentarily assumes a configurationcorresponding to the lower edge 137 of the blade, and material locatedon the 'belt is smoothly swept into shroud 122. Although flattening thebelt creates an opportunitty for material to flow from the sidesthereof, experience has shown that the normal operating speed of thebelt is sufiicient to preclude spillage during the brief instant inwhich the staggered rollers lift a particular point on the belt.

Because of the equal pressure distribution at all points of contactbetween belt 20 and blade 137, no trace of material is left on the beltsurface after it sweeps beneath the blade. As a result, there is no wayin which minute deposits of material can remain on the belt andgradually accumulate into deposits of sufficient size to interrupt orimpair eflicient operation of the conveyor.

After the belt has passed beneath blade 137, it passes over idler 131which retains the belt at a level corresponding to the height of blade137. Subsequently, the belt passes over pulley 19 and returns to pulley17 on the bottom portion of the loop.

When sufficient material has been diverted from the belt surface at anyone location, a new area may be serviced by merely rolling carriage 92to a new location on the conveyor assembly. Since carriage 92 issuspended on conveyor members 11 and 13 by wheels 115, 117, 119, and121, the unit may be easily rolled by manual operation. However, powerdriving means may be employed to move the carriage, as by operativelyconnecting the wheels thereof to electric motors which can be operatedby remote control.

It should be understood that the embodiments described are merelyexemplary of the preferred practices of the present invention and thatvarious changes, modifications, and variations may be made in thearrangements, operations, and details of construction of the foregoingdisclosure, without departing from the spirit and the scope of thepresent invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a conveyor system having a power driven belt with an outer surfaceand an inner surface arranged to form a closed loop between a firstpulley and a second pulley, an improved mechanism for diverting materialfrom the belt comprising, in combination:

carriage means movably mounted on the conveyor system for movementbetween the first and second pulleys;

blade means mounted on the carriage means at an angle to the directionof travel of the belt and having a lower edge positioned in contact withthe outer surface of the belt on the top portion of the loop; and

roller means mounted on the carriage means and con- 10 tacting with theinner surface of the belt on the top portion of the loop adjacent thediverting means so as to urge the belt into a configurationcorresponding to the shape of the lower edge of the blade means, thesaid roller means including a plurality of rollers mounted on thecarriage in a staggered configuration, each of said rollers having apoint in contact with the inner surface of the belt at the top side ofthe loop adjacent and parallel to the blade means,

whereby the material carried by the belt is diverted therefrom in adirection transverse to the direction of movement of the belt.

2. In a conveyor system having a power driven belt with an outer surfaceand an inner surface arranged to form a closed loop between a firstpulley and a second pulley, an improved mechanism for diverting materialfrom the belt comprising, in combination:

carriage means movably mounted on the conveyor system for movementbetween the first and second pulleys;

blade means mounted on the carriage means at an angle to the directionof travel of the belt and having a lower edge positioned in contact withthe outer surface of the belt on the top portion of the loop; and

roller means mounted on the carriage means and contacting with the innersurface of the belt on the top portion of the loop adjacent thediverting means so as to urge the belt into a configurationcorresponding to the shape of the lower edge of the belt means,

whereby the material carried by the belt is diverted therefrom in adirection transverse to the direction of movement of the belt, whereinthe roller means comprise a plurality of rollers mounted on the carriagein a staggered configuration, each of said rollers having a point incontact with the inner surface of the belt at the top side of the loopadjacent the blade means,

wherein the lower edge of the blade means is flat; wherein the contactpoints of said roller means lie in a plane parallel to the lower edge ofthe blade means; and wherein the leading edge of each of the rollers ispositioned substantially an equal distance in front of the blade means.

3. An improved mechanism, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the blade meanscomprises a straight steel blade.

4. An improved mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, and further comprisingmeans for adjusting the pressure between the belt and the blade means.

5. An improved mechanism, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adjustingmeans comprises:

supporting means attached to the carriage means and adapted to hold theroller means in a preselected position;

anchoring means connected to the carriage means and adapted to maintainthe blade means in a preselected position; and

positioning means attached to the blade means for varying the relativepositions of the blade means and the anchoring means.

6. An improved mechanism, as claimed in claim 5, wherein the supportingmeans and anchoring means are provided adjacent both the front and rearlateral edges of the belt loop, whereby the roller means and blade meansmay be removably positioned to divert material to a preselected side ofthe belt loop.

7. An improved mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, and further comprisingidler means mounted on the carriage means and positioned in contact withthe inner surface of the belt on the top portion of the loop, wherebythe belt is raised to substantially the same height as the lower edge ofthe blade means.

8. An improved mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, and further comprisingpower means for moving the car- 1 l riage means along the conveyorsystem between the first and second pulleys.

9. In a conveyor system having a power driven belt with an outer surfaceand an inner surface arranged to form a closed loop and with a bladehaving a lower edge positioned in contact with the outer surface of thebelt on the top portion of the loop at an angle to the direction oftravel of the belt, the improvement comprising a plurality of rollersarranged in a staggered configuration, each of said rollers having apoint in contact with the inner surface of the belt on the top portionof the loop adjacent the blade so as to urge the belt into aconfiguration corresponding to the shape of the lower edge of the blade,the leading edge of each of the rollers being positioned substantiallyan equal distance in front of the blade.

10. A device, as claimed in claim 9, wherein the lower edge of the bladeis fiat and wherein the contact points of said rollers lie in a planeparallel to the lower edge of the blade.

11. A device, as claimed in claim 10, and further comprising idler meanspositioned in contact with the inner surface of the belt on the topportion of the loop, whereby the belt is raised to substantially thesame level as the lower edge of the blade.

12. In a conveyor system having a power driven belt with an outersurface and an inner surface arranged to form a closed loop and with ablade having a lower edge positioned in contact with the outer surfaceof the belt on the top portion of the loop at an angle to the directionof travel of the belt, the improvement comprising the blade having aflat lower edge and roller means having points in contact with the innersurface of the belt on the top portion of the loop adjacent the blade soas to urge the belt into a configuration corresponding to the flat loweredge of the blade, the said roller means comprising:

a support bar arranged generally parallel to the lower edge of theblade;

a plurality of arms attached to the support bar and having longitudinalaxes generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the belt; and

rotatable bearing means mounted on the arms and having axes of rotationperpendicular to the direction of travel of the belt,

whereby the said bearing means contact the belt and are rotatabletherewith.

13. Apparatus for distributing concrete mix and the like comprising:

a power driven belt conveyor provided with a belt arranged to form aclosed loop between a first pulley located at one end of the conveyorand a second pulley located at the other end thereof;

means for driving the pulleys so as to drive the belt at predeterminedspeeds;

carriage means movably mounted on the conveyor for movement between thefirst and second pulleys;

blade means mounted on the carriage means at an angle to the directionof travel of the belt; the bottom edge of the blade means beingsubstantially fiat and being arranged to contact the outer surface ofthe belt; and

a plurality of rollers mounted on the carriage adjacent the point ofcontact between the blade means and the belt, each of the rollers havinga point in con- 12 tact with the inner surface of the belt at the topside of the loop, the contact points of each roller lying in the sameplane and each roller being staggered in location such that its leadingedge is substantially an equal distance in front of the bottom edge ofthe blade means,

whereby the rollers urge the belt into a substantially flatconfiguration as it passes beneath the blade means.

14. Apparatus, as claimed in claim 13, and further comprising powermeans for moving the carriage on the conveyor between the driving pulleyand the return pulley.

15. Apparatus, as claimed in claim 13, and further comprising means foradjusting the relative position of the blade means and the belt.

16. A method for diverting material from a belt conveyor having adiverting blade disposed at an angle to the direction of travel of thebelt, with the lower edge of the blade being in contact with the belt,comprising the steps of:

causing the material to be placed on the belt;

moving the belt so that the material on the belt is carried toward theblade;

urging the belt into a configuration corresponding to the shape of thelower edge of the blade just prior to passing the belt beneath the bladeby passing the belt over a plurality of rollers positioned in astaggered configuration, each of said rollers having a point in contactwith the inner surface of the belt adjacent the blade; and

passing the belt beneath the blade while the belt is in saidconfiguration;

whereby the material is diverted from the belt in a directionsubstantially transverse to the direction of movement of the belt.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 16, and further comprising the step oflifting the belt substantially to the height of the lower edge of theblade prior to the steps of urging the belt into a configuration whichconforms to the shape of the lower edge of the blade.

18. A method, as claimed in claim 16, and further comprising the step ofmaintaining the belt at the same height as the lower edge of the bladeafter the step of passing the belt beneath the blade.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1937 Lundbye "198-188 9/1951Laprise 198-488 FOREIGN PATENTS 484,324 10/1929 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner R. S. GAITHER,Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. l98233 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, Dated August 11,

InventorGQ Robert F. Oury It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

SIGNED AND REALFD M mm mum. J eolnilaiom 01 Patent:

